The former Glentoran ace signed for West Ham earlier this year with his contract starting on July 1 - five days before Sunday's All-Ireland MFC decider against Kerry.
Francis Mooney
16:08, 02 Jul 2025
Tyrone's Joel Kerr
Tyrone's Joel Kerr(Image: ©INPHO/Leah Scholes)
Tyrone attacker Joel Kerr is to miss the All-Ireland MFC final after taking up a professional contact with Premier League club West Ham this week.
The London club’s Academy has denied the exciting Red Hand star permission to face Kerry in Sunday’s decider at Newbridge due to his contractual agreement.
Having signed from Glentoran several months ago , the teenager’s contract commenced on July 1, just five days before the biggest game of his gaelic football career.
It’s understood manager Gerard Donnelly has not given up hope of having the Rock St Patrick’s clubman available this weekend, and talks are continuing between Tyrone and West Ham officials in a bid to reach some sort of agreement to have him released to face the Kingdom.
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Kerr has signed a three-year contract with West Ham and joined up with his new club this week as one of the brightest prospects to emerge from Northern Ireland in recent seasons.
The 16-year-old is eligible to play Minor football again next season, but what is certain is that he will not be part of the 2026 Red Hand side.
He has been one of the stand-out players in Tyrone’s march to a first All-Ireland MFC final since 2021, hitting a couple of late scores to help them to victory over Cavan in the Ulster final, when he was named man of the match, and he grabbed a vital goal in the All-Ireland semi-final win over Roscommon.
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He has been a member of the Glentoran Academy since 2020, and has represented Northern Ireland at youth level, producing some sparkling displays as a winger.